Ed Willes: Buono charts middle ground in CFL free-agency game

When the B.C. Lions concluded their 2016 season three months ago, it seemed that the franchise was headed toward a tumultuous off-season.

For starters, the team was for sale. The Lions also had 24 players heading toward free agency, including 12 who’d finished the year as starters and another three whose season was ended by injuries. Solomon Elimimian was one of those players. Mic’hael Brooks was one of those players. So was Bryan Burnham, Marco Iannuzzi, Jeremiah Johnson, Hunter Steward, Rolly Lumbala, Nick Moore, Ronnie Yell and T.J. Lee.

Elimimian, in fact, seemed to be on his way out of town, largely because his hefty contract had made him expendable.

“At some point we’re all going to exit the same door we came in,” the great linebacker said as the Leos cleaned out their lockers. “I’ve been in this business for seven years. I’ve seen a lot of good guys come and go.

“Would I like to be back? I’d like to be back … But I tell everyone if I’m meant to be here next year, I’ll be here next year.”

Evidently, he was meant to be here. The same can be said for a lot of others.

The CFL’s free-agent season is underway and while the Lions aren’t exactly standing pat, neither have they undergone the profound change advertised in late November. On Tuesday, the first day of free agency, the club announced the signing of Burnham, Brooks, Iannuzzi and Yell. Earlier, they locked up Moore, Steward, defensive tackle Bryant Turner and Lee.

Johnson, meanwhile, was done in late December and Lumbala was signed in early January. As for Elimimian, he was signed before Christmas.

Solomon Elimimian, pictured at practice in November, is among the B.C. Lions’ high-profile re-signings this off-season.

“The way I look at it, if we’d signed Bryan Burnham from another team or Solomon Elimimian or Mic’hael Brooks, we’d say those were key acquisitions. In my mind, keeping them was as important as getting other people’s players.”

Even if it isn’t as sexy.

Buono, of course, has practised this MOthroughout his three million years in the CFL and it’s generally served him well. Wally, the GM, usually has 90 per cent of his team picked for Wally, the coach, by the start of training camp. This year will be no exception.

There will likely be a battle for an offensive tackle spot. The secondary will likely feature two Canadian starters in safety Mike Etem and cornerback Keynan Parker. And the Lions are pursuing electric wide receiver Chris Williams, whowould change a number of things for this team.

But the core of the team will still feature quarterback Jonathon Jennings throwing to Manny Arceneaux, Burnham and Moore at receiver, with Johnson in the backfield.

The defence will again be built around Brooks and Elimimian, with Yell and Lee returning to a secondary thatshould be improved if it can stay healthy.

This, we remind you, was the guts of a team that went 12-6 last season with a QBin his first full year as a starter. The Calgary Stampeders will ultimately have something to say about how far the Lions go in 2017, but this still has the look and feel of a team trending in the right direction.

“When you have veterans it doesn’t take as much time,” Buono said. “When you have a lot of young players it’s like my old friend (former CFL coach) Dave Ritchie used to say, ‘Every rookie you have is usually one loss,’ and he probably wasn’t too far off.

“At this point I felt our nucleus was strong and it grew a lot last year. We need to build on that.”

True, the Leos aren’t set in stone just yet. Thereis some thought that receiver Shawn Gore, who has a history of concussions, may retire. Offensive tackle Jovan Olafioye may have priced himself off the team. Ryan Phillips, who put in 12 seasons in the Leos’ secondary, has signed with Montreal. And linebacker Adam Bighill is off to the New Orleans Saints.

Bighill’s departure, in fact, freed up the money for the Lions to sign Elimimian.It’s a tough business and each year tough decisions are made that affect lives and careers. On Tuesday, the business of the game had its say.

But soon enough it will be time to play and we’ll learn if the right decisions were made.

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